Last time I packed energy muffins, granola bars/protein bars, and juice, water, gatorade. I got to the hospital in active labour, so I didn't feel like eating, but the liquids were lovely! DH appreciated the high energy snacks, as we'd been up for a couple of days at that point.

Id say nothing, my last labor was 3 only hours of insane intensity and I ended up projective vomiting all the gatoraid that I drank up all over the carpet while I was pushing...

I think generally, unless you are having a marathon labor, you might have a light snack when it begins and leave your stomach empty for the rest of it. Your body needs concentrate energy on getting the baby out, not on digesting and processing food. Make sure to stay well hydrated though.

...now for afterwards, you could have given me a bag of cardboard and I would have wolfed it down. Dh made me tortellini though, and a friend brought me an oreo McFlurry. Mmmmmm.... have something hearty and filling ready for re-heating.

With my son, my midwife kept telling me I had to eat something (it was a VERY long labor), and I just sooooooo did not want anything. I think I ended up drinking chicken broth and having those cheese peanut butter crackers... and that was hard for me.

After he was born, they made me a big plate of scrambled eggs, and those were the best scrambled eggs in the history of earth, I swear! (not because they were anything special, but because I just hadn't really eaten in SO LONG)

No way did I feel like eating during my first labor. I think even my early prelabor started with me throwing up in the sink. DP still complains about that--

But afterwards....STARVING> my best friend brought me mango juice with a straw when I was still moments after delivery and I think I was thinking how INCREDIBLY good that was and how she was the BEST FRIEND ever at that moment!!!!

I ate watermelon...and then later a peanutbutter on ezechiel bread w/ honey sandwich. Later, my mom brought shakes for the whole of us. They brought me a very small slice of pizza and I was like ok...where is the rest of the pie...I just gave birth IAM HUNGRY!!!!

Honey straws are good for energy when you get to the point in labor where you have no more appetite but need a boost. You could do honey on a spoon at home but the straws are really nice for the hospital. They come in different flavors too. Don't forget to bring something to cut them open though. Hey....that's what those episiotomy scissors are for!

We had watermelon with dinner last night, and that seemed like such a great labor food to me. I'm planning on getting some more today! I agree with pp's on the easy high energy foods like cheese/peanut butter and crackers and protein bars.
And lots of water

I had cheese, some lunchmeat and juice when my contractions had just begun. Then I couldn't eat anything for the rest of the 18 hours. I tried a bite of a sandwich many hours into it, but it threatenedd to return quite forcefully, so I stopped. I just sipped recharge and ice water the whole time. Then when I was done, I ate a sandwich, some chips, 2 advil and a HUGE slice of birthday cake for DD and my husband(whose birthday is the day after my daughters!).

I like the recipes in the laborade page, thanks fyoosh!

Kara, Chad, dd L(5) and ds E(3) and expecting baby E on Valetine's Day ~We are a home-birthing, baby-wearing, home-made, co-sleeping, no-vax, crafting(both of items and of magick!), green living and loving family in Southern NH